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Delhiites have no clue about how electronic trashes must be disposed and end up selling them to the local kabaadiwala, leading to informal recycling and causing irreversible harm to humans and the environment.

HIGHLIGHTS

India produces 18.5 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT) of e-waste each year.

Mumbai leads the metropolitan cities at 1,20,000 MT generation.

Delhi produces 98, 000 Metric tonnes of e-waste each year.

Delhi is one of the most uneducated cities regarding e-waste, inspite of being the second highest producer of junk mobile, laptop and home appliances in India. A report by think-tank, Toxics Link, has revealed that 90 per cent Delhiites have no clue about how the trash must be disposed. In fact, 50 per cent said that they just sell it to the local kabaadiwala, a practice known to lead to informal recycling causing irreversible harm to humans and the environment.LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT GOVT RULES

This comes four years after the Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the 'E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 which mandates that such defunct objects must be handed over to authorised agencies only. Violating this attracts a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment for a maximum period of five years, or both, as it is a defiance of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) maintains a list of at least 29 'licensed e-waste processors' (http://dpcc.delhigovt.nic.in/ewasteaction. html), which seems to have gone unnoticed by city residents. At the same time, it highlights how manufacturers of electronic items, who were entrusted the responsibility of consumer awareness on e-waste, have completely abdicated their responsibility.

"If this is awareness level in the top five cities, then imagine the situation in smaller towns and cities," said Priti Mahesh, Chief Program Coordinator, Clean Industry, Toxics Link. The study was conducted across five metropolitan cities, including Mumbai and Bengaluru. In Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai, 93 per cent, 90 per cent and 74 per cent respondents respectively said they did not know anything about the 'E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011' or its legalities.

The study further revealed that as many as 61 per cent of the respondents were ignorant about the impacts of improper disposal of electrical and electronic equipment.

E-WASTE POLLUTION' THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH

"There is an urgent need to create awareness among consumers. The producers, government, and agencies responsible will have to make joint efforts to ensure improved compliance to rules on e-waste," said Satish Sinha, Associate Director, Toxics Link.

As per an 'Assocham-Frost & Sullivan Study,' 2016, India produces 18.5 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT) of e-waste each year. Mumbai leads the metropolitan cities at 1,20,000 MT generation. Delhi-NCR follows at the second spot (98,000 MT) and Bangalore comes third (92,000 MT). Crude dismantling of e-waste is scientifically proven to produce toxic elements like lead, plastic, chromium, mercury, be ryllium, cadmium and acids. These lead to a variety of fatal and incapacitating diseases of the kidney, liver, immune system and lungs, besides causing cancer.